Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The other side of the back property line where we live has what we lovingly refer to as a fence rat a cute little dog who sticks his head under the fence and yaps every time I come or go. I tried to make friends by giving him dog biscuits.

Lens afraid his collars going to get caught on the bottom of the fence and hell be stuck there until someone comes to his rescue. Greedy little bugger! (referring to the dog), See what you started? (referring to me).

The neighboring dog reminds me of the monkey traps described in Robert Pirsigs Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, where certain tribes leverage the monkeys greed to their advantage. They hollow out a gourd, leaving the opening just large enough for a monkeys hand to go through to reach a sweet treat.

When the monkey (unaware that the vine attached to the gourd is staked to the ground out of sight) reaches in to get the treat, the opening is too small for its now-clenched fist to pass back through. Escape is entirely possible if hell just let go, but he wont because he chooses to hang on to the treat. At this point, the tribespeople come along and its easy pickings

What wont you let go of?

Laurie Buchanan

Find me on Twitter @TuesWithLaurieFind me on Facebook

Previously published on tuesdayswithlaurie

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Fence Rats and Monkey Traps - The Good Men Project

Polarized is a weekly series featuring Americans from all 50 states sharing their views on the 2020 elections. Click here if you would like to be a part of this project

Some Americans have had a rough go of it in the last few weeks under lockdown orders amid the coronavirus pandemic but James Callahan says hes loving the hell out of it.

A retired federal agent, the 54-year-old independent voter lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico,and says hes basically been quarantined for the last four years, engaging in few social interactions besides the occasional errand or when grabbing a bite to eat.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Callahan spent the bulk of his career with the US Marshals, after serving as a border patrol agent in San Diego, California. The border, and specifically illegal immigration, are key issues to the former lifelong Republican.

I hate the Republican Party and I hate the Democratic Party, so theres really nowhere else to go, Callahan says in a recent interview with The Independent about why he chose to drop his affiliation with the GOP nearly two years ago.

He cites the failure of the Republican Party to get anything done for the reason as to why he switched to an independent voter status, which forbids him from partaking in his states closed primary system.

Callahan is a former member of a Young Republicans club in Tampa, Florida and often agrees in principle with the partys platform. But as a federal agent living in Washington, he says he saw the corruption first-hand before retiring nearly nine years ago. It made him loathe politicians in general, and led him on a path to whohe is today: a voter that helped Donald Trump secure the White House, but now has second guesses about giving the incumbent his ballot a second time over.

There was a short period of time when the Republicans had the Congress, the Senate and the presidency, and they failed to get anything done particularly on immigration and the national debt, he says.

Callahan says he voted for Trump in 2016, and he supported his agenda in the White House despite having previously donated to Florida Senator Marco Rubios failed 2016 campaign. His frustrations with the GOP leave him at an interesting crossroads, he says.

Im going through a struggle with family and friends over this very issue: Im a philosophical conservative, libertarian is probably the best way to describe it, he says. But for the first time in my life I started looking at Bernie Sanders. I get he has his issues too, but hes been singing the same song for years, hes not nearly as corrupt and clearly we have a corrupt system. And youre talking to a lifelong Republican.

No hype, just the advice and analysis you need

I spoke to Callahan after Sanders, the progressive Vermont senator who was once seen as the frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primaries, announced he was dropping out of the campaign and endorsing former vice president Joe Biden.

Callahan says he wanted to hear more about what Bernie had to say and for him to more clearly outline his views on democratic socialism.

Socialism doesnt work, neither does communism my own philosophy is that all isms are designed to fail, he says. Capitalism is doomed to fail, too. Its just the best of the worst, and it had a great run.

Of course, Sanders is no longer an option in the race against Trump, as he plans to support Biden rather than launch an independent bid. Not that Callahan would likely have voted for him anyway I voted for Donald Trump, and if I had to pull the switch today, Id vote for Donald Trump again, he says.

But the presidents inability to fulfil his campaign promises such as building a big, beautiful wall that spans the entirety of the US-Mexico border has led Callahan to the point where he says hes on the fence about casting his ballot for Biden.

He considers the choice to be some form of protest against the Republican Party: Im looking at all these Republicans who I used to support, and now theyre OKwith bailing out peoples mortgages and paying their student loans. What does that tell somebody like me?

Callahan says he pays a disproportionate amount of taxes and is concerned about what he describes to be excessive spending during the pandemic.

People are dying, I understand that, he says, adding that some measures must be taken to help flatten the curve and avoid the crisis worsening. But he also notes thatfederal debt has soared past $23 trillion and now it seems to him even the Republicans have washed their hands of the problem.

This thing hit the whole damn world, he says. But we have to remember our priorities.

Click here to read more of The Independent's series, Polarized: Voices From Across America

Link:
Why this Trump voter says he's now 'on the fence' about supporting Biden - The Independent

The report on the Wire Mesh Fence market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Wire Mesh Fence market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Wire Mesh Fence market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period. The different factors that are likely to impact the overall dynamics of the Wire Mesh Fence market over the forecast period (2019-2029) including the current trends, growth opportunities, restraining factors, and more are discussed in detail in the market study.

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Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers:

The rest is here:
COVID-19 impact: Wire Mesh Fence Market Key Players, Product and Production Information analysis and forecast to 2059 - Jewish Life News

Stress-cleaning. So you decide you're going to go to the deep clean. You look under the kitchen sink and decide you're going to put everything together and get it done. Don't do that.

We have talked about how women's health is more than just one thing. It is a combination of different things. But sometimes a bunch of things together isn't a good thing. Let's talk about why it isn't a good idea to put some of your most potent cleaners together.

Yes, I know that maybe you have someone at home who has COVID-19 and is quarantined, and you only have one bathroom. So you have to disinfect it several times a day. Okay. You know that bleach is a powerful virus and bacteria killer, and alcohol at 70% works too. And maybe you'll just add the alcohol to the bleach and get a super killer. Yep, you could create a super killer of you. So let's talk about bleach.

Bleach has several compounds in it, but one of the main ones is sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is highly reactive. It combines chemically with other molecules and changes them, and that releases new compounds. That powerful ability to combine and change molecules makes it a potent disinfectant and whitener. It kills living cells like bacteria and sort of living things like viruses.

So under your kitchen counter, you have some bleach. Your bottle of bleach is highly concentrated, so you should dilute it a lot, four teaspoons per quart of water. It is also not meant for your skin, so wear gloves. It also reacts with everything and can give off irritating gases, so you should use it in a well-ventilated space.

Also, under your counter, you have some alcohol. So let's add bleach and alcohol together to make something better. Stop right there. Bleach and alcohol make chloroform. You know that fluid that was used in the 1800s to knock people out before they amputated a leg? So, no bleach and alcohol.

How about bleach and vinegar? That makes chlorine gas. Really bad for your lungs and your brain. It was one of those gases used to kill soldiers in World War I.

Well, how about bleach and ammonia? No, no, no. That makes another toxic gas. The only thing you can mix with bleach is more water.

What about all those other bottles of cleaning fluid and spray that won't even tell you what's in them. It is best to use them with gloves in a well-ventilated room. It's even better to go to the Environmental Working Group's website, ewg.org, and click on the box that says EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning. Put in the name of your cleaner and find out how it scores from A to F, and what are the concerns about the chemicals in the products. Then you can make your own decision. Make safer choices. Do you really need all that stuff under the counter?

Now, back to combining things. Vinegar is a great cleaner and antibacterial, but no, it can't kill the coronavirus, and it cleans well if you don't mind your bathroom smelling like a pickle. Baking soda also cleans well and is a mild abrasive. And baking soda and vinegar is a kids' home chemistry experiment. Together they foam up in a non-dangerous way. What fun?

What about windows? I know that means you are really bored and getting into some hardcore cleaning. A tip from a professional gave me the safest and best streak-free window cleaner -- a gallon of warm water, a couple of drops, less than a teaspoon of the original blue Dawn dish soap, not the new blue Dawn with flavors or scents or anything. The old stuff that they used to clean off the birds and animals after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

What about Lysol? Lysol is a brand name of many different products, some with hydrogen peroxide, another fun, fizzy chemical cleaner. And it gets an A in the evaluation from EWG. Some gets an F. So Lysol is a brand, not a specific cleaner. Check out what's in it if you want to know if it's safe.

Most of all, these home cleaning chemicals are not safe for babies or young children. All kids should contribute to cleaning up the house and learning about what to use and how to use it, but not until they're old enough to understand safety. Keep your kitchen and bathroom chemicals in a baby-proof cupboard.

One last thing, there is nothing about having two X chromosomes that gives you a unique ability to clean during the COVID-19 pandemic. People with Y chromosomes can clean too. Now, if I could just get my husband to learn how to use the vacuum cleaner.

Originally posted here:
Cleaning Your Home (the Safe Way) During COVID-19 - University of Utah Health Care

Cleaning supplies might be in high demand but a Melbourne mum has found a way to sidestep that aisle at the supermarket.

When it comes to spotless, streak-free windows, a member of the Mums Who Clean Facebook group says a mixture made with hot water and shampoo is as good as any store-bought window cleaner. Plus, its one less thing to pick up on your weekly shop.

RELATED: Woman's 'game changing' tea bag hack

RELATED: Mum's hack to stop food going mouldy

Sharing her discovery in the group she says all you need is a bucket, hot water, shampoo, sponge and paper towel.

Put hot (as hot as your hands can take) water in bucket, add a squirt of shampoo and mix it up, she writes.

Dunk your sponge and cover your entire window with the solution. Leave it for a minute or so until it's almost dry then buff with a square of paper towel.

Streak-free spotless windows with so little effort. Just did all my windows today inside and out so quickly.

Responding to a comment, the Melbourne woman confirmed her trick is effective on a range of grime and build-up, including dog slobber.

My back sliding door was caked with dog slobber/muddy dog paw prints and this worked well, she wrote.

Commenting on her Facebook post, other members also suggested diluted dishwashing liquid, baby shampoo and vinegar as other DIY alternatives.

I use dish washing liquid, then wipe over with cloths in clear water to get soap off and when almost dry. I use [an] old clean dry rag to go over them, perfect every time [sic]. My rags are old tea towels, commented one user.

We used vinegar other day. The windows came up awesome, shared another.

This handy trick comes as many supermarkets report empty shelves due to coronavirus-induced panic shopping.

While basic pantry items like pasta, flour and rice have been raided, so too have things like disinfectant, toilet paper and most cleaning supplies.

Read the original post:
DIY window cleaner: All you need is shampoo - NEWS.com.au

With time on our hands and the spectre of the pandemic at our shoulders, if ever there was a moment to give our homes a thorough clean, it is now.

Keeping your home scrupulously clean will help stop the spread of coronavirus - and it could also protect your mental health. A study by cleaning company Molly Maid found that 70 per cent of us feel less stressed if our home is spick-and-span.

With only a limited number of shops open it can be tricky to rush out and buy an armful of specialist cleaning products. But there are some brilliant hacks you can try that use store cupboard basics, from ketchup to silver foil...

Cleaning mucky grouting is a soul-destroying task made easier by Tim and Melanie Smiley who caused a Facebook sensation last year with their (almost) effort-free method.

When Mrs Smiley asked her husband to tackle the stains he did it his way, attaching an electric toothbrush head to a drill and then using the makeshift tool, dipped in grout cleaner, with spectacular effects.

No grout cleaner to hand? Make your own by mixing seven cups of water with half a cup of baking soda, a third of a cup of lemon juice and a quarter of a cup of vinegar.

Now summer is finally here, sparklingly clean windows can make a real difference to your rooms.

Professional window cleaners tend to wash windows down using a weak solution of washing-up liquid, but unless you are a pro with a squeegee the results can be very smeary.

The solution? According to Extreme Couponing and Bargaining, on Facebook, the trick is to use a solution of fabric softener and water instead, then wipe dry with a lint free duster this also works on mirrors, and smells lovely, too.

Housework guru MrsHinch, aka SophieHinchcliffe, offers tips and tricks using basic store cupboard items(Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Instagram queen of clean, Mrs Hinch, carved a niche as a housework guru with three million follows. She suggests freshening up your bed by filling a sieve with bicarbonate of soda and sprinkling it over the mattress. Wait an hour and vacuum it up.

"It's an odour eliminator so any odours that may be lingering in the mattress, it just soaks them up and absorbs them, explained Mrs Hinch, aka Sophie Hinchcliffe, from Essex. It works really, really well.

Meanwhile, most pillows can go in the washing machine (check labels first). Put a couple of tennis balls in the dryer to help plump them up as they dry.

Condiments can make great makeshift cleaning products. Ketchup will eat away at burned-on stains on stainless steel pots and pans, thanks to the acetic acid it contains.

Simply spread the sauce on the surface and let it sit for half an hour before scrubbing it off.

Mayonnaise has a multitude of uses beyond a dip for your chips. Its oily texture will fix watermarks on wood furniture. Simply dab on, let it sit for an hour, then clean off and buff. Different finishes react differently, so always try a small test patch first.

Forget spending ages polishing up blackened silver like a Downton Abbey housemaid. Karyn Siegel-Maier, author of The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning, suggests placing tarnished silver items in a container filled with water, and adding in some strips of tinfoil.

Let it soak for an hour, rinse and dry, and the tarnish will have vanished this method also works on jewellery.

More:
Best home cleaning hacks:from vinegar to ketchup, the everyday items that double up as cleaning products - Homes and Property

The changes include extending the payroll co-funding scheme to sole traders and self-employed business owners not normally on the payroll of the business, as well as to charities and social enterprises where their staff are unable to work as a result of current business restrictions.

In addition to the changes, the scope of business activities that can access both the coronavirus payroll co-funding and the small business grants scheme has also been widened to include a number of other services such as cleaning, window cleaning, gardening, pet care, estate agents, architects, facilities management and office management, security and cash transfer activities, freight and goods transfer, excluding food, and dental and dental hygienists.

Policy & Resources vice-president Lyndon Trott, pictured, said they had and would continue to listen to the concerns of businesses.

Self-employed islanders and sole traders play a vital role in our community and for our economy, he said.

It was clear there was a gap in our support measures implemented so far, so we have sought to move at real pace in order to plug that gap and bring equity to the support we are offering.

We have also extended the businesses and traders who are in-scope for support.

This is also a response to our growing understanding of the need of businesses and traders in our community.

We will continue to monitor the impact of the measures we have introduced, and the feedback on them from the business community, and will carry on responding as needed to ensure our economy is as supported as it reasonably can be during these very challenging times.

The changes come in response to feedback that the support measures in place were not meeting the legitimate needs of a significant number of the self-employed and sole traders in the community.

Support for those business activities added to the scheme will be backdated to 16 March in line with the support provided to the first series of payments of economic sectors.

For business guidance on what is available and who for, visit https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/business.

See the original post here:
Self-employed and other sole traders eligible for help - Guernsey Press

From Good Housekeeping

Out of an abundance of caution, the CDC now recommends wearing a face mask or covering any time you go to grocery stores, pharmacies, or other places where social distancing is hard to practice. Since N95 respirators and surgical masks should be reserved for healthcare workers, many people have been putting their DIY skills to the test by creating their own cloth face masks right at home, either by following an easy-to-sew pattern or a quick no-sew tutorial. Others in need of a quick fix are simply ordering ready-made face masks on Etsy and other online retailers.

As a reminder, the CDC urges that select individuals aren't required to wear face coverings, including children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. Everyone else should follow the CDC's guidelines and wear a face mask in public. All face coverings DIY or otherwise should meet the following requirements, as outlined by the CDC:

Fits snugly but comfortably against the side of the face

Be secured with ties or ear loops

Includes multiple layers of fabric

Allows for breathing without restriction

Can be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab suggests that tightly woven, 100% cotton is the best fabric to use, which means you can turn a bandana, or fabric from pillowcases, curtains, or woven shirts into a face mask or covering. Be sure to avoid knit fabrics, like jersey T-shirts, because they create holes when stretched. To make the mask even more protective, use a nonwoven interface, coffee filter, or HVAC filter (as long as they don't contain fiberglass) inside the mask to help block particles.

Making or buying a face mask is just half of it. To ensure that you and your loved ones are staying as safe and healthy as possible, it's also important to clean cloth face masks regularly to limit the spread of germs. There are differing reports on whether or not coronavirus can live on clothes. Harvard Health, in particular, suggests that the disease is more likely to live on hard surfaces (think: countertops and door handles) than soft surfaces like fabric. Regardless, the CDC, along with the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, urges that you give cloth face masks the same level of care as your regular laundry, which means you should wash and dry them often per the CDC's guidelines.

Story continues

The CDC has general guidelines on how to properly clean most cloth and fabric masks:

Fabric face masks should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use

A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a face covering

Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing

However, these one-size-fits-all guidelines don't necessarily take into account the different types of fabric and filters used, especially in DIY masks. Carolyn Forte, Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, suggests that all face masks should be washed with hot water in the washing machine, and tumble dried on high heat. More delicate masks that are handsewn may need to be washed by hand. If so, lather masks with soap and scrub them for at least 20 seconds with warm to hot water before tossing in the dryer. For peace of mind, iron masks on the cotton or linen setting to kill any remaining germs.

While there are some other cleaning methods floating around the Internet that suggest sanitizing face masks by sticking them in the microwave, oven, or a pot of boiling water, Forte doesn't recommended them since they are nowhere near as effective as standard washing and drying.

Think about it: You wouldn't make coffee with an old coffee filter the same idea applies for face coverings. Most filters that you would add to homemade face masks are intended for single use, so it's best to replace them after each use.

Coffee filters: Disposable paper products are not washable, so replace them after each use.

HVAC filters: While they are washable, manufacturers warn that they're intended for single use. If you decide to sew the filters between cotton fabrics, wash in the same way as mentioned above, but keep in mind that the effectiveness will decrease with each wash.

Medium weight nonwoven interface: This fabric is typically washable, so follow the method mentioned above.

There aren't any hard and fast rules regarding how often you should wash face masks because it's really depending on the frequency of use, according to the CDC. If you want to be extra cautious or think there may be a possibility that someone is symptomatic, or has sneezed or coughed within close proximity, clean your face mask after each use. Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn't be using face masks frequently, since public health officials urge everyone to only go to grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores when they are in need of essential items.

As more information about the coronavirus pandemic develops, some of the information in this story may have changed since it was last updated. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, please visit the online resources provided by the CDC, and the World Health Organization. You can work to better protect yourself from COVID-19 by washing your hands, avoiding contact with sick individuals, and sanitizing your home, among other actions.

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Original post:
A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them - Yahoo Lifestyle

Leading health experts have advised us against touching our face during coronavirus, but one thing we arguably handle just as much in this modern world are our phones.

Research conducted by King University found on average, we touch our phones 2,617 times a day with smartphone users unlocking their screens as much as 150 times from the moment they wake up, to when they go to sleep.

Comparably, we're known to touch our faces as much as 23 times an hour.

And as self-isolation forces us to stare into the cellular voids that are our devices for virtual contact, these numbers are likely to increase, begging the question - do we need to clean our phones to avoid contracting COVID-19?

According to the World Health Organization, while it remains unclear how long the virus lasts on surfaces, studies suggest it may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days.

Dr Amy Edwards, a specialist in infectious diseases claims to clean her phone "at least once a day" in a statement to Grow, while reminding people to be "vigilant, but calm and not to panic.

Cleaning influencer Melissa Maker even famously said "your phone is like a third hand because you're constantly touching it."

Apple expert, Emmanuel Lopez informed 9Honey, that while we may be more disciplined about washing our hands, our phone still comes into contact with multiple spaces each day.

"It's best to get into the habit of keeping your device clean during coronavirus, but also in general for the health of your device too," he said.

Like a quality morning skincare routine, phones require a gentle, but effective process to cut through the grime of daily life.

So, for the most addicted app users to the purist landline callers, here's a damage-free guide to properly cleaning your phone.

Where rubbing alcohol may cleanse kitchen messes and open wounds, much like too much alcohol exposure is terrible for our health, so too is it for your phone. The safest bet is to opt for alcohol concentrated wipes, where the mixture is fixed each time. Lopez recommends using "wipes with 70% isopropyl" and "gentle, circular wiping motions over the exterior surface," of your device.

Tapping your way through the day leaves dreaded fingerprint marks across the screen. The safest way to salvage your resolution from bodily oils is a gentle scrub with a microfiber cloth. Though smartphones are typically water resistant - to an extent - but a "firm rubbing motion" is enough to restore your screen to it's mirror-like resolution.

For phone purists, devices with buttons present a cleaning challenge most millennials have no concept of. Using toothpicks and skewers can assist in freeing the dust caught between dialling. Covering the buttons with tape can also help remove any lint or grime stuck in slim crevices.

Turns out people with a pore-perfect complexion may have another glowing face to cleanse each night before bed. Specific make up removers for phones exist, however, a gentle spritz of your own make up remover on a tissue or cotton pad works a charm too.

Conserve your hand sanitiser resources and don't use them on your phone - same goes for window cleaner, kitchen chemicals, soaps, vinegar and anything with enough bleach in it to turn your hair platinum blonde. Remember your phone is sensitive, like that last text you sent your coronavirus love.

Whatever you do, Lopez stresses "don't submerge your phone in any cleaning agents" or you may be soaking your device in rice until the pandemic is over.

There are currently 6,462 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia.

Read more here:
How to keep your phone coronavirus free without damaging it - 9Honey

Right now, were struggling to overcome a pandemic, but our hygiene standards are at an all-time high. A diligence for hand washing has spilled over into the household, and for once weve got the time to deal with domestic tasks frequently neglected.

Bored with tidying the living room, scrubbing the bathroom and disinfecting kitchen surfaces? Step up to the challenge of ticking off jobs you probably never even imagined needed doing.

1. Blitz oven grime(Nick Ansell/PA)

Hobs regularly get a rinse down, but how often do we tackle ovens? Over time, fat and food debris build up on the walls and shelving, burning and spewing fumes every time the appliance is switched on.

Choose a non-caustic cleaning product to avoid damage to both kitchen surfaces and your health any stubborn stains can be cleared by soaking them with bicarbonate of soda overnight. Non-toxic products shouldnt leave lingering odours, but to be safe fill a tray with water and lemon juice and heat to 120C for 20 minutes beforehand.

2.Remove dust from radiators(Yui Mok/PA)

Whatever the design, radiators are magnets for dust, which often ends up collecting in the hardest to reach places.

Allowing it to fester is not only unhygienic but can also impair heating performance, so its worth making the effort to delve in.

For tight spots impossible to vacuum, collect fluff by dangling a damp cloth, or wrap it around a wire coat hanger for greater control.

3. Moth-bomb wardrobes(English Heritage/PA)

Lockdown conveniently coincides with moth season, which traditionally kicks off in April or May.

If you want to rid pantries, carpets and wardrobes of infestations, now is the time to strike before warm weather causes dormant eggs to hatch. Lavender pouches and cedar blocks are all deterrents, but sticky paper traps and moth bombs are the most effective weapons.

Any clothes with telltale webbed cases should be put in the freezer for 48 hours.

4. Empty kitchen cupboards(Barry Batchelor/PA)

At a time when supermarket trips should be minimised, creating storage space for long-life food is more important than ever. While most items are stamped with expiry dates, others fall into a grey area. Can you recall exactly when those burgers went into the freezer?

And how long have strands of saffron been drifting around the bottom of a spice jar? According to the NHS, its best to eat frozen meat within three to six months; after that, taste deteriorates although its still safe. Most spices have a shelf life of three to four years.

5. Sort sock drawers(Ben Birchall/PA)

How irritating is it to wake up and find a drawer full of odd socks? Admittedly, Skype, Zoom and Houseparty only require dressing from waist up, but there is a sense of self-respect to be earned from wearing matching smalls. Empty the drawer, lay out each sock and ball them into pairs. Think of it as a game of Snap.

6. Detangle electrical cables(Royal Family/PA)

Not everything in the world is wireless. When the back of a TV set starts to resemble electrical spaghetti, its time to tidy cords and cables neatly away.

Hair scrunchies can be used to create manageable bundles, or thread stray wires through empty toilet rolls to avoid any tangles.

7. Descale the showerhead(Ian Nicholson/PA)

In areas with hard water, limescale deposits quickly form in bathroom taps, turning power showers into pathetic trickles over time.

White vinegar is the simple, cost-effective solution: clean a removable spout by immersing it in a bucket of the acidic liquid; if the shower is fixed, fill a plastic bag instead and use a rubber band to tie it to the head.

8. Steam clean a mattress(Rentokil Pest Control/PA)

Its a place where we spend a good proportion of our lives, so its no surprise that beds are a den of dirty hair and dead skin cells.

A vacuum cleaner will remove most of the detritus from a mattress, while baking soda can be used to help soak up stains and deodorise bad smells. Steam cleaners get the best results and should be used every few months.

9. Clean windows crystal clear(Ben Birchall/PA)

At the moment, were spending a lot of time gazing through windows, and who really wants to connect with the outside world through a veil of pigeon poo?

Its tempting to choose a sunny day to get glass gleaming, but if cleaner dries too quickly it will form streaks.

While squeegees are a window cleaners favourite tool, its easier and less messy to use a microfibre cloth for smaller panes.

10. Deodorise the washing machine(Yui Mok/PA)

If your whites are running grey after cycles emitting foul smells, its likely the washing machine is due a good clean.

Use an old toothbrush to scrub the detergent drawer, clear the debris filter (its usually on the bottom of the machine, behind a hinged cover) and clean the drum with dishwasher tablets on a hot wash.

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Life on the inside: 10 household chores to finally complete during lockdown - BreakingNews.ie